US Navy

Holographic radar

Brief

The Naval Air Warfare Center, based at Point Mugu, California, required a new type of scoring system for installation on high-speed target boats to test the accuracy of defensive gunnery in trials against simulated fast-attack craft. This had proved difficult to date due to the harsh environment and the dominant effects of sea clutter on the radar signal.

Approach

We developed a system from concept to trials-ready equipment at TRL6 (test readiness level) in just 15 months. To achieve this we used:

Cambridge Consultant's background IP in holographic radar technology

An all-new, fully-integrated radar head

A radar data processor built from commercially available parts, including a standard PC containing a high-performance graphics processor and fibre optic data interface

The proof-of-concept system was delivered to the NSWC test range at Dahlgren, VA, for demonstration testing and successfully detected and tracked a series of 16 shells, including a high-explosive round and a four-shot rapid-fire burst.

Benefit

The work has demonstrated the capability to provide accurate, reliable scoring of 5” shells in a rapid fire scenario.

The results from the proof of concept demonstration tests confirm that the measured performance of the system stacks up with calculations. This gives the Navy a valuable new capability and the possibility to extend the applications for the system to other test requirements, including 50cal at 600 rounds/minute, with confidence in meeting performance requirements.